Scottish Public Affairs Update - March 2025

BPS Psychology Matters programme goes live

March saw the launch of the BPS Psychology Matters programme, which features an interview with BPS member Dr Lynne Taylor, Principal Psychology Advisor in the Scottish Government.

She talks about her role and why advising on policy at national level is so important for deepening understanding of psychology and how it can tackle and prevent ill-health. 

Also featured is an interview with Heather Connolly, Chair of the Scottish BPS Division of Health Psychology, who shares her views on the role of psychology in transforming lives and fostering a holistic approach to health that benefits all. 

Health psychology's role recognised in Scottish diabetes prevention clinical guideline

The new guideline has been published by the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN), of which BPS is a member. 

Health psychologists Heather Connolly, Professor Vivien Swanson, Dr Emily Moffat, Dr Hannah Dale – all BPS members – provided expert advice on the development of the guideline, which provides recommendations on the prevention, early detection and early non-pharmacological and pharmacological treatment to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes. 

Scottish Government

On 31 March, Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray set out – through the publication of the NHS Scotland Operational Improvement Plan – how the Scottish Government will use the £21.7 billion health and social care investment in the 2025-26 Budget. 

Measures include:  

• £123 million recurring additional funding for health boards and Integration Joint Boards (IJBs) to support improvements across a range of mental health and psychological services and care for all age ranges, including CAMHS, the delivery of psychological therapies and eating disorder care.
• Continue to provide enhanced support to those health boards and IJBs not on track to meet the waiting times standard. A formal review of the support will take place for CAMHS in spring 2025, and for psychological therapies in autumn 2025.
• National digital type 2 diabetes remission programme: a new national digital intensive weight management programme will be used to support 3,000 people newly diagnosed with type 2 diabetes over the next three years, with the first patients recruited in January 2026.
• Genetic testing for recent stroke patients: there will be a pathway established across Scotland for new stroke patients to receive a lab-based genetic test to inform what drug they are given to reduce the risk of a secondary stroke. This programme will begin in October 2025 and be rolled out to all territorial health boards within 12 months.

The Plan will be followed by publication of a population health framework later this spring, and a health and social care service renewal framework in late June 2025.

BPS receives multiple mentions in Scottish Government 'Moving on' from care into adulthood consultation independent analysis

Drawing on our original response to the consultation, BPS featured a number of times in the 'Moving On' from Care into Adulthood Consultation Analysis of Consultation Responses Final Report (pp 19, 21, 56, 57, 58). The report detailed our comments on areas including:

• Continued support for young people, in terms of supported time out of the house
• Good inter-agency working arrangements with multi-disciplinary teams
• The importance of promoting the establishment of relationships between young parents with care experience and their children – and understanding how potential restrictions around access between the parent and child can impact on parents' mental health
• Increased access to community hubs / clubs

Scottish Parliament 

The BPS will keep members updated as the following bills progress: 

Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill 

BPS submitted a response to the Scottish Parliament Health, Social Care and Sport Committee call for views on this Member's Bill from Liam McArthur MSP. Our response focused solely on the potential implications for healthcare professionals should the bill proceed, covering capacity assessments, conscientious objection and safeguards for healthcare professionals. 

The Bill remains at Stage 1 (general principles) and is due to complete this stage by 23 May 2025. 

Criminal Justice Modernisation and Abusive Domestic Behaviour Reviews (Scotland) Bill

This Government Bill as introduced makes changes in relation to procedures in criminal courts and introduces a process for reviewing deaths which relate to abusive behaviour within relationships. It remains at Stage 1, with this stage to be completed by 4 April 2025.

Restraint and Seclusion in Schools (Scotland) Bill

On 17 March 2025 Daniel Johnson MSP introduced this Member's Bill, which would create statutory guidance and duties in relation to the use of restraint and seclusion in schools – applying to public and independently funded schools (not nursery schools).

The Bill is currently at Stage 1 of the process to decide if it should become an Act. 

Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill

Douglas Ross MSP introduced this Member's Bill, which would establish a right in law to treatment for addiction for anyone in Scotland who is addicted to either alcohol, or drugs or both.

The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) recently published a research briefing on the Bill, which is currently at Stage 1.  

Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill

The Bill is currently at Stage 2 (amendments), with this stage due to be completed by 4 April 2025.

In April 2024, BPS received mention in the Criminal Justice Committee Stage 1 Report (p136), in relation to the Bill's proposal to provide automatic statutory protection for the anonymity of complainers in sexual and related offence cases:

A point was made in the written submission [here] from the British Psychological Society that "The rights and freedoms of victims are affected should their name become released into the public domain. This can lead to social stigma, re-traumatising as well as act as a barrier to justice."

Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill

On 27 March 2025, Sarah Boyack MSP introduced this Member's Bill, which would promote consideration by public bodies of sustainable development and the wellbeing of future generations. It sets out definitions of "sustainable development" and "wellbeing" and would establish a Future Generations Commissioner.

Consultations

In January, we submitted our response to Scottish Labour's consultation on proposed themes for their manifesto for the next Scottish Parliament elections.  

Work is underway drafting our own BPS manifesto for the next Scottish Parliament elections. Our manifesto will be key to our policy and public affairs activity in Scotland both in the run up to the election, and beyond.  We look forward to engaging with all the main political parties on our manifesto calls to action when published and continuing to share the views of the psychology profession more widely. 

To view all open and closed consultations, visit: Consultations and briefings | BPS

In the News

Behaviour in schools

On 4 March, BPS Scottish Division of Educational Psychology committee member and BPS Practice Board member James McTaggart participated in an interview on the topic of behaviour in schools (1:08.53 for his interview).

Challenges faced by those with severe mental health issues

BPS issued a statement in response to a 28 January STV Scotland Tonight report on the challenges faced by people with severe mental health issues – including delayed discharges and a lack of timely and appropriate social care. 

Dr Claire Stark, Chair of the BPS Division of Clinical Psychology Scotland, highlighted historic underinvestment in NHS inpatient mental health services and psychology provision within them – and called for the Scottish Government to review workforce provision within NHS adult mental health inpatient services and Community Mental Health Teams (CMHT). 

Police Scotland sickness data 

On 13 January, BPS responded to the news that police officers in Scotland have taken over 440,000 days off sick due to poor mental health since 2019. Dr Adam Mahoney, Chair of the BPS Division of Forensic Psychology in Scotland, emphasised the need for greater investment in the mental health, wellbeing and support provided to serving police officers undertaking a crucial role in protecting the public. 

Contact

To find out more about our policy and public affairs work in Scotland, view the Scottish Public Affairs Updates on our website or contact June Deasy, Senior Public Affairs Adviser in Scotland ([email protected]).